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There’s one thing Mendoza really does in style, and that’s a good fiesta. Argentines know how to hold a party and in the capital of wine it is no exception. This year's Great Wine Capitals 'Best Of Wine Tourism' award winner for wine tourism services was Diplomatic Luxury Wines - a wine festival held each year in the depths of winter to bring a little warmth to wine lovers in Mendoza.

Often considered a nature walk in the sky, hot-air ballooning is a fine way to ride into the sunrise. It's also one of most unique and inspiring ways to appreciate the Napa Valley’s lush, rolling hills and gorgeous coastline.

The Rheinhessenvinothek in Mainz offers Wines not only from German Rheinhessen but from all the Great Wine Capitals, served in a 150 year old former magazine building, earning it the global Best Of Wine Tourism award for Wine Tourism Services in 2017.

Two Best Of Bordeaux Wine Tourism awards have justly compensated the dedication of the new team in bringing Château Soutard back to the elegance, deserving of its classified status. The first, in 2012, was for the architecture - hardly surprising given the beautiful gravity fed cellars created by architect Fabien Pédelaborde. As well as being an efficient working cellar it is a showcase for both the history of the property and the unique limestone terroir of the plateau of Saint Emilion on which the vineyard is situated.

Their latest award was for Wine Tourism Services, highlighting how they have put this newly renovated facility to excellent use, opening it up to visitors in so many ways.

Seppeltsfield won the international award for the Best in Wine Tourism Services category in Porto, Portugal on 10 November 2016. Seppeltsfield Proprietor and Managing Director Warren Randall said "This award signals a completed transition of Seppeltsfield from a staid - albeit it historic - wine property, to a dynamic and multi-experiential destination, where wine, regional food and art are equally celebrated and promoted. The Barossa and South Australia can be proud of a now internationally – benchmarked tourism asset. It’s now time to promote this achievement and capitalise on any visitation potential."

The highlight of any dining experience at the Abrasado restaurant at Bodega Los Toneles is the steak. It stole the show as the main course - tender, full of flavour and cooked a perfect pink (or however you like it). The plate was scattered with local aromatics which added a depth to the flavour and complimented the slight smokiness from the grill. This steak alone was reason enough for Abrasado to win the Great Wine Capitals Best Restaurant in Mendoza award.

Vis-à-Vis is one of the leading restaurants in the small village of Osthofen near Worms. For their combination of regionally inspired gourmet food, an extensive wine menu from Rheinhessen and the beautiful setting within an old cow chapel, the Spiess family won the Great Wine Capital Best of Award 2017 in the category Wine Restaurants.

If you’re familiar with the Great Wine Capitals blog you will know that a winery can win awards in several categories for their excellence in wine tourism. Château Agassac is one of these lucky properties as, since the beginning of these awards, they have won several of them – and this year is no exception with their recognition for Best Of Wine Tourism for their restaurant: La Table d’Agassac.

Ricardo and José Miguel Arambarri of the Vintae group are well known in the Rioja region for their novel approach to wine marketing. So it was no surprise that they were the driving force behind Wine Fandango. This wine, tapas and cocktail bar and restaurant has quickly become one of Logroño’s favorite watering holes and received a special jury award at the Bilbao-Rioja 'Best Of Wine Tourism awards ceremony.